Beth Evans, SU President
2nd July, 204
Photo Credit: Ray Goodwin
We're over half way through the nominations period for the next Student Union, so I thought I'd take some time to give you the inside scoop on what life as the Student Union President and Student Governor looks like!
I was first elected as Student Union President in March 2023 whist finishing up my third year as a Fine Art student. I didn't know much about the role but I spoke to the Harriet, the Student Union Manager, and Louise, the University's Careers Advisor, who talked through what the job really entailed. It's kind of like a more intense Student Representative role with a whole bunch of other interesting stuff scattered amongst it. Some days I work retail, re-stocking t-shirts and hosting merch sales. Sometimes I'm in board rooms with Governors and at conferences with the Office for Students (University regulator), helping them brainstorm for their new strategic plan. Other days I'm in committee meetings during the day and working the bar in the evening. I really enjoy the range of activities because it means I get to gain a lot of varied experience, meet loads of new people and I can't really ever get bored.
That's one of my favourite things about the role - all the cool people I get to work with. Truthfully, I think I've had even more fun here as a staff member than I did as a student - and I had a lot of fun here as a student! I've ran countless events with Harriet Moore and Emily Watkins who are both a blast. I've been skateboarding with Kirsty Smith and Robbie Wills, and a bunch of us even went to play laser tag last year. There isn't anyone that I don't look forward to seeing everyday and it's so cool to unlock this second layer to the University, meeting people who work behind the scenes. There's a lot that felt new and exciting - but with the added benefit of working somewhere that feels safe and familiar.
A lot of the work we do in the Union is super fun like hosting Freshers events, Christmas Quizzes and bar nights and because the staff here, as you'll know, are so fun and friendly, even the 'boring' jobs are still a good time! It's a very relaxed staff culture and can be flexible with our hours, so there's a lot of freedom. I don't know anywhere else like it.
There are parts of the job that are heavier and it's important not to dismiss that when talking about the role. There are a lot of, often confidential, committee papers and Board of Governors papers to read and it's really important to properly comprehend them, digest them and make notes so that you can properly respond and ask questions in the meetings. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming but it's all really rewarding work that helps make a difference to the community. Support to Study procedures can be difficult too but there's always support from co-workers and your line manager to help you through the more weighty jobs. Plus, because the Students' Union is a part of a the Student Officer Support Programme from Coole Insight and the National Union of Students, it means that through your whole term as Student Union President not only do you receive support and guidance from AUP staff members but also confidential and impartial help from experienced external sources which is really great.
A big perk to the job is that you get to shape parts of the role yourself with the statements you make in your manifesto so you can work in areas you feel passionate about, which is super nice. Another perk to the role is that you can keep using all of the University resources. Fancy a bit of ceramics at lunch? You can! Want to take a day off to glass blow - you've got 25 of them to use, so go for it.
Overall, being Student Union President is quite a hard thing to summarise because even at it's simplest, it's a quite bit of everything! Some serious jobs, some absurd ones and a lot of fun ones. There are a lot of reports and tight deadlines but there's also freedom to make the role what you want it to be, with support from the Student Union Manager who has worked within the Union for years! I enjoyed my first year in the role so much that I ran for re-election in 2024 and am completing my second and final term this year.
If you want to talk more about the role, feel free to drop by the Student Union Office (T0.2) or email us to organise a one-to-one with me or Harriet, and ask any questions you might have before applying!
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